pk500 wrote:Holy f*ck -- Tunisia just tied it in the 93rd minute. This has been arguably the match of the tournament so far, between unheralded teams.
Take care,
PK
That was a hell of a finish for sure. Saudi's go-ahead goal was a brilliant bit of passing. That initial through-ball set up the second pass that sprung Jaber. I was shocked when Tunisia tied it in extra time.
I am a patient boy.
I wait, I wait, I wait, I wait.
My time is water down a drain.
Who would have thought that Tunisia and SA would provide an entertaining game? Great game, up and down both teams had their chances and a tie is fitting to their effort.
Pk, I think that the Aussies beating Japan especially the way they did it in the last 10 minutes is the upset of the WC so far IMO, Ecuador has been playing good footie as I followed the South American qualifying and they are not a team to take for granted. I believe they finished 4th behind Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.
10spro wrote:Pk, I think that the Aussies beating Japan especially the way they did it in the last 10 minutes is the upset of the WC so far IMO,
I'll beg to differ. Japan finished dead last in the Kirin Cup in April, its final home warm-up for the World Cup. It scored just one goal combined at home against Bulgaria and Scotland, not exactly UEFA powerhouses. Japan only beat Malta, 1-0, in its final World Cup warm-up earlier this month.
Meanwhile, the Socceroos have a lot of guys with some talent from the Premiership, such as Kewell, Cahill, Fatduka, Schwarzer, etc.
Take care,
PK
"You know why I love boxers? I love them because they face fear. And they face it alone." - Nick Charles
"First on the throttle, last on the brakes." - @MotoGP Twitter signature
10spro wrote:Who would have thought that Tunisia and SA would provide an entertaining game? Great game, up and down both teams had their chances and a tie is fitting to their effort.
Pk, I think that the Aussies beating Japan especially the way they did it in the last 10 minutes is the upset of the WC so far IMO, Ecuador has been playing good footie as I followed the South American qualifying and they are not a team to take for granted. I believe they finished 4th behind Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.
I don't know, I think I'd have to go with a 10-man T&T drawing Sweden.
XBL Gamertag: RobVarak
"Ok I'm an elitist, but I have a healthy respect for people who don't measure up." --Aaron Sorkin
>>>Wow -- this could be the second upset victory of the tournament if Saudi Arabia hangs on for the win. Ecuador over Poland is the only other upset win, in my mind.<<<
Upset victory, not upset. Semantic slicing, I know!
Take care,
PK
"You know why I love boxers? I love them because they face fear. And they face it alone." - Nick Charles
"First on the throttle, last on the brakes." - @MotoGP Twitter signature
And just like that the Polish squad has been eliminated. What a shame to give up that goal in the 93rd minute. It might have only been 1-0 but it sure was an entertaining match.
I am a patient boy.
I wait, I wait, I wait, I wait.
My time is water down a drain.
Partly a victim of their own tactic - they were playing not to get beaten, hoping to beat Costa Rica and stand a good chance of going through with 4 pts.
Alas, not to be. No doubt they are slightly dischuffed that both of Germany's starting strikers (Klose and Podolski) were born in Poland, and that the scorer (Neuville) was born in Switzerland.
"The players come from all over the world, the money from deep underneath the Persian Gulf, but, as another, older City poster campaign put it, this is their city. They may now exist in the global spotlight, but they intend to keep it that way."
davet010 wrote:Partly a victim of their own tactic - they were playing not to get beaten, hoping to beat Costa Rica and stand a good chance of going through with 4 pts.
Alas, not to be. No doubt they are slightly dischuffed that both of Germany's starting strikers (Klose and Podolski) were born in Poland, and that the scorer (Neuville) was born in Switzerland.
Didn't seem to bother the Poles when Olisadebe was in the side
davet010 wrote:Alas, not to be. No doubt they are slightly dischuffed that both of Germany's starting strikers (Klose and Podolski) were born in Poland, and that the scorer (Neuville) was born in Switzerland.
Typical Germans...
Tough way to lose the game and knock yourself out of the tournament. I think the Costa Rica game showed that you score against Germany.
I think FIFA's rule of giving one match bans for two cumulative yellow cards is far too harsh. Three yellows would be better. A lot of good players are going to be missing games for one slightly bad tackle and one referee mistake.
Feanor wrote:I think FIFA's rule of giving one match bans for two cumulative yellow cards is far too harsh. Three yellows would be better. A lot of good players are going to be missing games for one slightly bad tackle and one referee mistake.
I believe the yellow card counts reset after group play, and as such, I have no problem with the rule.
ScoopBrady wrote:And just like that the Polish squad has been eliminated. What a shame to give up that goal in the 93rd minute. It might have only been 1-0 but it sure was an entertaining match.
Yeah a tough loss for the Polish, A. Boruc was amazing for them, The D. Roloson of the team, .
davet010 wrote:Partly a victim of their own tactic - they were playing not to get beaten, hoping to beat Costa Rica and stand a good chance of going through with 4 pts.
Alas, not to be. No doubt they are slightly dischuffed that both of Germany's starting strikers (Klose and Podolski) were born in Poland, and that the scorer (Neuville) was born in Switzerland.
Didn't seem to bother the Poles when Olisadebe was in the side
true enough - it was just the symmetry of two players playing against the country of their birth that was commented on by BBC. I think the real problem for Poland was their lack of creativity in both games, and a lack of ambition against Germany.
"The players come from all over the world, the money from deep underneath the Persian Gulf, but, as another, older City poster campaign put it, this is their city. They may now exist in the global spotlight, but they intend to keep it that way."
davet010 wrote:Partly a victim of their own tactic - they were playing not to get beaten, hoping to beat Costa Rica and stand a good chance of going through with 4 pts.
Alas, not to be. No doubt they are slightly dischuffed that both of Germany's starting strikers (Klose and Podolski) were born in Poland, and that the scorer (Neuville) was born in Switzerland.
Didn't seem to bother the Poles when Olisadebe was in the side
true enough - it was just the symmetry of two players playing against the country of their birth that was commented on by BBC. I think the real problem for Poland was their lack of creativity in both games, and a lack of ambition against Germany.
So what happens if Birchall scores today against England?
Feanor wrote:I think FIFA's rule of giving one match bans for two cumulative yellow cards is far too harsh. Three yellows would be better. A lot of good players are going to be missing games for one slightly bad tackle and one referee mistake.
I believe the yellow card counts reset after group play, and as such, I have no problem with the rule.
But doesn't that mean the two teams who make the final have to play the round of 16, the quarter-final and the semi-final with any player who gets two yellows missing the most important match? Seems harsh with the way the refs are giving out yellow cards for very minor offences.
Not very many - in fact I can't remember any. I think that the BBC might have discreetly indicated to that as a topic best avoided, and there haven't been any Basil Fawlty incidents yet.
It's not as if Motty and Mick McCartney are lacking for other topics to bore the viewer senseless with. Thankfully the digital service has an option to replace them with the Radio 5 commentary of Alan Green and co.
"The players come from all over the world, the money from deep underneath the Persian Gulf, but, as another, older City poster campaign put it, this is their city. They may now exist in the global spotlight, but they intend to keep it that way."
Feanor wrote:I think FIFA's rule of giving one match bans for two cumulative yellow cards is far too harsh. Three yellows would be better. A lot of good players are going to be missing games for one slightly bad tackle and one referee mistake.
I believe the yellow card counts reset after group play, and as such, I have no problem with the rule.
But doesn't that mean the two teams who make the final have to play the round of 16, the quarter-final and the semi-final with any player who gets two yellows missing the most important match? Seems harsh with the way the refs are giving out yellow cards for very minor offences.
Maybe it is a little harsh given the way yellows have been handed out thus far, but it is really so wrong that a player who gets a yellow in 2 consecutive games misses the semis? Or that a player who gets a yellow in 2 of 3 misses the finals? Guess it's just a matter of opinion, but I don't think it's terribly unfair. If it was 3 yellows the only way a guy could possibly be suspended is if his team reached the finals, with him picking up yellows in 3 consecutive matches, which is obviously excessive.
It hasn't been discussed in a big way yet as the WC is starting the second round matches with the Germany win yesterday but overall the referees have been doing a great job. Most yellow cards were deserving ones, however I haven't seen enough for the diving simulation.
One call I can remember now that perhaps the ref blew was during the Argentina- Cote Ivory match were Ayala's header did cross the goal line IMO and yet it wasn'rt conclusive enough for them.
10spro wrote:It hasn't been discussed in a big way yet as the WC is starting the second round matches with the Germany win yesterday but overall the referees have been doing a great job. Most yellow cards were deserving ones, however I haven't seen enough for the diving simulation.
One call I can remember now that perhaps the ref blew was during the Argentina- Cote Ivory match were Ayala's header did cross the goal line IMO and yet it wasn'rt conclusive enough for them.
I don't think that shot was in. The two bad calls were yesterday in the Spain-Ukraine and the allowing of the Japanese goal in the Aussie match.
Last edited by Zlax45 on Thu Jun 15, 2006 11:27 am, edited 1 time in total.
I watched a few of their qualifying matches and actually they finished third in the group during qualifying with the goal differential and second during the 2002 qualifying. They play a disciplined style with key players in De La Cruz, A. Delgado and I. Hurtado.
At the start of the last South American qualifiers, Ecuador was in the 71st position in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings. Since then, they have climbed well into the 30s, you may argue that those standings are meaningless but they are a much improved team.
Every WC has a surprise team and Ecuador may just be it.
.